Page:County Churches of Cornwall.djvu/135

 THE CHURCHES OF CORNWALL 107 interior a few stones may be noted dressed after a chevron fashion in pre-Norm. style; the present writer also observed during repairs of 1904 certain dislodged hewn stones, which showed clear traces of mortar adhering, of an earlier date than that used by Norm, masons. The canons continued to serve here until c. 1 185, when they were suppressed for irregu- larity and worldliness, and the establishment trans- ferred to the regular Order of St. Augustine. The new prior and his canons immediately set about erec- tion of a stately church in late Norm, style, beginning at W. end. W. front of nave between the two towers and basements of the towers are of late but definite Norm, workmanship. The projecting entrance or portico is an exceptionally fine example. The re- ceding archway is of seven orders ; the two inner- most are merely round, third and fourth have zigzag ornament, fifth is rounded, and sixth and seventh are also sculptured with zigzag. Height of doorway is 10 ft., and of whole archway 16 ft. Outer arch is surmounted by hood-mould having head terminals, and much enriched with foliage, &c. Above arch is a pediment surmounted by a four-holed cross. The erection of the towers that flank this portal was not continued until Trans, from Norm, was in vogue, c. 1200; one of them remained incomplete for some time. The towers are somewhat puzzling. Probably two lower stages of each were finished about this Trans, date. This level corresponds to that of nave